Charles Moore

Charles R. Moore, 90, of Blytheville, went to be with the Lord at his home on October 23, 2015. Born in Yarbro, AR on December 31, 1924 to Walter Ross and Elizabeth Evans Moore, he began school at Yarbro Public Schools at age of five years and seven months. He lived his first nine years on a dirt road with no electricity, about one mile from school. He transferred to and graduated from Blytheville High School after eighth grade at Yarbro. He entered the University of Mississippi in 1941 at the age of sixteen, after two years at Ole Miss he was drafted into the U.S. Air force in 1943 as a cadet. Medical reasons stopped his cadet training and he was sent to Gulfport Field Mississippi, from there to Keesler Field Mississippi where he was discharged as a Corporal while on assignment to the South Pacific when Japan surrendered.

He returned to Ole Miss for the spring semester in 1946 and graduated with a BA degree with a major in Psychology in August of 1947. He then began employment as a personnel counselor for a utility company headquartered in Blytheville, and was asked to join the very active Junior Chamber of Commerce club to do PR work for his employer, two years later he was elected President. In 1952 he was elected President of Arkansas Jaycees, selected as Outstanding Young Man of Blytheville and served as Chairman of Nationally known National Cotton Picking Contest. The Paducah, Ky. Jaycees entered a young lady to be Queen of that contest that year and in winning she got much publicity from Paducah and they convinced the governor to make Mr. Moore a Kentucky Colonel. On June 30, 1955 he married Sarah Langston Sartain. In 1962 he rented land and started farming as a side job. That year his father died and he left the Power Company and assumed his father's farming operations.

In 1963 the Moore's were chosen as the Young Farm Family of South Mississippi County, in 1969 he was chosen as President of Mississippi County Farm Bureau, was elected to serve as Arkansas State Representative, a position he held for 18 years. In 1979 he was chosen to be Co-Chairman of all State Retirement Systems in Arkansas, a position he held until he retired. When he left, almost all systems were fully funded. The same year he was recognized at a meeting of State Chamber of Commerce for his accomplishments to his community. He retired from farming in 1988. Flying was a passion of his, he was a private pilot and later served on Mississippi County Quorum Court.

Other honors include: Board of Directors of Osceola Foods, Swift Funeral Home of Osceola and Methodist Church of Luxora.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sarah Langston Sartain Moore;

One son Ross Cleveland Moore and his wife Susan of Clinton;

One daughter Laura Elizabeth Moore of Blytheville;

One grandson Zachary Langston Moore of Colorado Springs, Colo.;

Nephew Mike Ellison and niece Sarah Lynn Ellison.

Mr. Moore always said he had been blessed by being born and living in the greatest country on Earth, at the best of time in history.

Visitation will be 1-2 p.m. on Monday, October 26, 2015 at First United Methodist Church in Blytheville with Services to follow at 2, services will be conducted by Dr. Robin Moore. Mr. Moore will be laid to rest in a private ceremony in Mississippi County Memorial Gardens.